DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police spent hours trying to round up a cow out for a late-night ramble through downtown and nearby neighborhoods but finally lost the animal. Police say officers responded Monday night to reports of a cow on the loose in the East Village area of downtown. After trying to catch the animal for nearly three hours, it disappeared into a forested area along the Des Moines River, north of downtown near Birdland Marina.

In a Facebook post, police noted, “We’re cops, not cowboys.” Police say they don’t know how the cow ended up downtown. The police department’s animal control unit has a plan if the animal is spotted again. Officials recommended people try not to capture the animal themselves.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Pottawattamie County man was sentenced Monday in Council Bluffs, on drug charge. United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum said today (Tuesday), 45-year old William Walter Batten, was ordered to serve 10-years in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Batten was also sentenced a term of supervised release of five years, once he’s served his court-ordered prison sentence.

In October 2018 Council Bluffs Police stopped a motorcycle driven by Batten and it was discovered he did not have a motorcycle endorsement or insurance. Batten was arrested and admitted he had methamphetamine in his motorcycle. A search warrant was obtained and officers located over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Batten pleaded guilty to this charge in March 2019.

The case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Nebraska man was sentenced Monday in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to 10-years in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. 44-year old Mathew William Finken, of Omaha, will also serve five years of supervised release once he has served his term in prison.

Finken was arrested by law enforcement with the Council Bluffs Police Department on January 25, 2019. At the time of his arrest, Finken was in possession of over 100 grams of methamphetamine, packaging materials and over $800. When Finken pleaded guilty on April 15, 2019, he admitted he intended to sell the methamphetamine he had in his possession.

The case was investigated by Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. The matter was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on Monday (September 30), a Pottawattamie County man, 27-year old Jay R. Jahn, was sentenced in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to five-years in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. Jahn is also required to serve a five year term of supervised release following his imprisonment.

In July 2017, Carter Lake Police received a referral from the La Plata County Sheriff in Colorado regarding a 15 year old child who had received sexually explicit messages online from Jahn. A search warrant was obtained for Jahn’s residence, where officers located a computer and cell phone. A search of the electronic devices located images and videos of child pornography. Jahn pleaded guilty to this charge in May 2019.

The case was investigated by the La Plata County, Colorado Sheriff’s Office, Carter Lake Police Department, and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa

A head-on collision early this (Tuesday) afternoon in Shelby County has resulted in multiple injuries, some of them critical. According to reports, the accident occurred at around 1-p.m. at F-58 and Maple Road, or southeast of the Harlan Municipal Airport. Harlan Fire and Rescue, Medivac, Walnut and Avoca Rescue were all called to the scene.

LifeNet and Midwest Medical air ambulances were requested, but declined due to the weather. Additional details are currently not available.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The island nation of Micronesia is raising concerns about how some of its citizens working at an Iowa pork processing plant are being treated. Micronesia recently sent a formal letter to the State Department asking U.S. officials to investigate possible misconduct at the Seaboard Triumph Foods plant, including verbal abuse, using false Social Security numbers and withholding workers’ passports. The company denies any wrongdoing.

Micronesia said in its letter that dozens of its citizens have complained about the way they have been treated while working at the plant. Seaboard recruited workers from Micronesia. The State Department didn’t immediately respond Tuesday to questions about its response to the complaint.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has struck down large portions of a 2017 voting reform law, declaring much of it unconstitutional. The law requires voters to show certain forms of identification when voting, requires voters to provide an identification number on absentee ballot applications and allows county auditors to reject ballots if they believe signatures don’t match a voter signature on record.

Judge Joseph Seidlin says in a ruling Monday the state may require a voter ID but election officials must issue a voter ID card to any voter who requests one. The law prohibited election officials from issuing cards to voters with a driver’s license or state identification card. He also struck the signature match provisions, saying they violate the Iowa Constitution. The judge also makes permanent his earlier order that says Iowa Secretary of Paul Pate cannot require a voter ID number on absentee ballot applications.

The ruling follows a lawsuit filed last year by the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa. Pate’s office didn’t immediately respond to a message.